Josh Doig opens up on Hibs transfer exit, David Gray and Hibees’ struggles

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Josh Doig is one of several Scottish players clearly benefiting from broadening their horizons out in Italy.

After moving to Hellas Verona from Hibs in 2022, the 22-year-old left-back is now with his second Italian side in Sassuolo.

Currently plying his trade in Serie B after relegation, he has already impressed in Serie A and could have remained there with another team, or headed to another country, after transfer interest.

After staying put, Doig started the first 11 games of the season but has missed the last four through injury.

Sassuolo look poised for a return to the top flight as they top the table currently so he is likely to be back in Serie A one way or another.

• READ MORE: David Gray gives Hibs future update on two fringe men and it doesn’t look good for one

Hibs exit helped Doig

Josh Doig burst onto the scene as an exciting young Hibs player in 2020, just a year after being released by city rivals Hearts.

He excelled at left-back and was voted the Scottish Football Writer’s Association Young Player of the Year that year.

Doig’s form, along with the team’s, stalled a bit the following campaign but he was still a teenager playing regularly for one of the biggest clubs in the Premiership.

That attracted transfer interest and he eventually completed his transfer to Hellas Verona in the summer of 2022.

He admits it was beneficial to get away from the Edinburgh goldfish bowl and the pressures of being a local playing for one of the city’s big two.

Speaking exclusively to Not the Old Firm, Doig said: “Yeah, it was probably exaggerated for myself just because, being from Edinburgh, I live 10 minutes from Easter Road.

“So, it was probably exaggerated because of the fans. It’s more personal when you don’t win a game. It’s like you’re disappointing people that you actually know.

“So, for me that probably pushed me more because it gave you so much pressure, which helps you at the end of the day, if you’re a footballer, you need to be able to deal with pressure.

“But yeah, getting away from all that, gave me a bit of a breather. Even over here, it’s still so much pressure.

“Obviously, it’s not as personal. So, you don’t have the personal side that you get with Hibs, but the fans here are still so passionate, they live and breathe football, just at Hibs.

“So, it’s similar, but as I said, it’s probably just without that the personal aspect.”

Hibs have continued to follow an up-and-down trajectory since the Scotland under-21s star’s exit and are currently on a down.

Despite promising results over the last week they remain 11th in the Premiership under his former teammate David Gray.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
6	ST MirrenST Mirren	15	5	3	7	19	25	-6	18
7	DundeeDundee	14	4	4	6	23	26	-3	16
8	Ross CountyRoss County	15	3	6	6	12	27	-15	15
9	ST JohnstoneST Johnstone	15	4	1	10	17	28	-11	13
10	KilmarnockKilmarnock	14	3	4	7	16	27	-11	13
11	HibernianHibernian	15	2	6	7	18	25	-7	12
12	Heart Of MidlothianHeart Of Midlothian	15	2	4	9	16	25	-9	10

Addressing that, he said: “I’ve always said with Hibs it’s always a rollercoaster of emotions at Hibs. But it’s the one thing I love about it, you can always count on the fans. Obviously things aren’t going well this season but for me I think it will start to rise soon there’s too much quality in the team.

“I still watch every game and I just feel there’s too much quality in the team to be where they are. Obviously they have just had a bit of a sticky start which is possible in that league because it is so difficult. People don’t understand, they don’t realise how difficult that league is, but watching them there is so much quality in the team.

“So I’m just hoping they can start to kick on soon because there’s still loads of time. You don’t know where they could finish. I’ll be watching anyway.”

And he makes a confident prediction on their fortunes, adding: “Am I confident they’ll stay up? 100 percent. Yeah, I don’t think… I just feel like they’re in a blip which can happen.

“As I said, it’s such a difficult place mentally and the fans are so passionate and you just got to give them everything. So, I’ve got faith in the boys that they’ll stay up 100 percent.”

David Gray as a Hibs coach

Gray was at the twilight of his playing career when he was a teammate of Doig’s and had started to take his first steps into coaching.

The younger player was impress with his abilities and, as a fellow full-back, benefited from his wisdom on the training pitch.

And Doig feels Gray’s man-management style will have the current playing squad right behind him.

He explained: “I’ve been coached by David, played with David and he’s obviously such a club legend. He’s a great guy.

“That’s why I think the boys will have faith in him. He’ll never lose a change in him because the boys will have such faith in him for what he’s done and for what he’s done for the club as well.

“The boys will believe in him, I can see that. As I said, I think It’ll just be a matter of time before they kick on.

“It was Pottsy (John Potter) the assistant and Jack Ross mostly still. Dave was just new so I think he was just kind of starting off in the coaching role.

“So it was just personal with everyone. With me personally he used to take me at the end for a crossing drill. We worked on the same crosses every day but it will probably be difficult to do it as the gaffer now so I can’t comment on that.

“For me personally he was brilliant. Obviously as a full-back and another one who’s done it all in Scotland. So to work with him every day has probably helped me so much. He’s probably one of them that did help me so much to kick on with just the little things as well, defensively positioning in the box.

“Then at the other end because Dave’s crossing was amazing. He helped me a lot with my crossing and stuff. So I can only thank him for what he done for me. As I said, the boys will never lose faith in him, so I think it’ll kick on soon 100 percent.”